Improvement in animal-trap



matted gisting gaat can,

Letters Patent No.. 94,173, dated August 31, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN ANmAL-TRAP.

The Bchedulerefen'ed to in these Letters Patent and part ofthe same.

To whom it may concern: l Be it known that I, JAMES W. BAGBY, of Northcutts Store, Boone county, Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Animal-Tiap; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being .had to theV accompanying drawings, 'making part of -this specification.

My invention relates to a form of animal-trap, capable of being placed and becoming ei'ective in any position, and of being approached and entered on any side by the prey, while escape is impossible.

Y Figure lis a perspective view of my trap, in its open or set condition.

Figure 2 fs a vertical section of the same, in its closed or sprung condition.

A is a plate, having a stem, B, terminating in an eye, b.

Fastened to the underside of' the plate, is a springcoil, D, whose two extremities are fastened to two seres or catches, E F, of which one, E, occupies, when set, a groove, a, in the top of the plate, and is overiapped'by F, which has a hook, f, on its under side, that, in the set condition, engages with a hook, e, on the upper side of E.

.In the drawings, the spring is shown as being formed of two coils, but it is evident thata greater or less number may be employed, if desired. Projecting from each sere or catch, is a series of hooks, G, which, on the liberation of the catches E F, as hereafter described, suddenly collapse with their points toward a common centre, (as in iig.2,)andim pale whatever is within their range.

The springing of the trap is effected by means of one or more triggers, Hjhinged to and depending from the plate A, and having counter-arms h, whose ends,

in the setting of the trap, are engaged under the upper catch F.

The triggers'terminate below in customary hooks, h', for the bait. Y

I vis a small set-screw, which projects upwardly through the plate A, and impingcs againstthe under side of the catch F. The object oi this set-screw is to permit of the upper catch being so adjusted as that its hook f may engage, to a greater 01 less extent, with the one, e, of the lower catch E.

The catch-plate E has bevelled ends, e', which, by engaging in a suitable recess, e", in the plate A, (when the trap is set,) prevent the catch-plate E rising with the catch-plate F when the trap is sprung.

It will be seen that the trap may be suspended -by theeye b, or placed in any vertical, oblique, or inverted position, and, without interfering with its functions, havepits parts so hidden by leaves, or other natural objects, as to disarm suspicion.

Handles, 0 enable the catches to be brought together for setting.

. I claim herein as new, and of my inventionl. The arrangement of plate A, stein B b, springcoil D, catches E F, hooks G, and triggers H, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with the described elements of the preceding clause, the set-screw I, for the purpose herein explained.

In testimony of which invention, I hereunto set my Gao. H. KNIGHT, JAMES I-I. LAYMAN. 

